K-Pop Group Denied Entry To The U.S.

K-Pop Group Oh My Girl Denied Entry To The U.S.

Update 7:33 p.m.: The L.A. Times report that the group were turned away from entry not for being suspected sex workers as their representatives claimed, but for lying about their reason for entering the U.S. An official with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said that the group claimed to be in the country as tourists and not for work purposes.

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This story was originally published on December 13.

Super-popular K-Pop group Oh My Girl was denied entry to the U.S. this week — and its management claims it was because the group was mistaken for sex workers. The group also claims that it was detained by customs at LAX for over 15 hours.

The Los Angeles Times reports that a representative with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said the eight-member girl band lied to customs officials and said they were traveling to the U.S. as tourists, rather than for work.

However, the girl group's management company said in a statement this week that the group had been turned away because they were mistaken for "working women." The company, WM Entertainment, claimed that the members of Oh My Girl "did not need a performance visa," because the group was participating in a promotional event rather than holding a solo concert.

Oh My Girl was supposed to perform at an event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday. The statement also says the group is consulting attorneys in the United States about its lengthy detention.